Process of manufacturing collapsible cellular container partitions



Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. GEORGE ET AL 2,494,437

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITIONS 1Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Origina w. c. GEORGE ET AL 2,494,437PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITIONSOriginal Filed Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 wwwcw L 1 MW ATTORNE s.

Jan. 10, 1950 w. c. GEORGE ET AL 2,494,437

PROCESS OFMANUFACTURING' COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITIONS 4Sheets-Sheet '5 nal Filed Feb. 4, 1948 Origi W. C. GEORGE ET AL PROCESSOF MANUFACTURING COLLAPSXBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITIONS OriginalFiled Feb. 4, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 10, 1950 PROCESS OFMANUFACTURING COLLAPS- IBLE CELLULAR CONTAINER PARTITIONS Walter C.George, St. Louis, and Arthur P. Klasing, Webster Groves, Mo., assignorsto Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofMaryland application February 4, 1948, SerialNo. Divided and thisapplication July 30,

Original 1948, Serial No. 41,637

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No.6,266, filed February 4,

This invention relates to the manufacture of collapsible strip typecellular container partitions. The principal object of the presentinvention is to devise a continuous simple and economical process forquickly and easily producing a strong and durable partition of the abovetype which may be made and shipped in collapsed flat compact form andreadily set up for use. Other objects are to provide for permanentlysecuring the partition parts together without the use of stitching ormechanical fasteners, to eliminate scoring and bending of the partitionparts, to provide for horizontal ventilation through the cells of thepartition and to prevent movement of the partition parts beyond theircell-forming positions when the partition is opened or set up. Theinvention consists in the process hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification andwherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the eight web sections from which a twenty-fourcell partition embodying our invention is made, the web sections beingshown in the laterally ofiset positions and in the top-to-bottom orderwhich they occupy in the finished partition,

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus used incarrying out the continuous process of manufacturing the partition,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the eight slitted andsuperimposed webs from which the partitions are formed,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the pair of horizontal rollsfor longitudinally slitting one of the advancing webs, the web being 7shown in vertical cross-section,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the webs and the roll forapplying the spotted longitudinal lines of glue thereto,

Fig. 6 is a plan view looking at one side face of the collapsedpartition,

Fig. '7 is an edge view of the partition,

Fig. 8 is a plan view looking at the opposite side of the partition,

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the set-up or erected partition,

Fig. 10 is an end elevational view thereof,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line Illi in Fig. 9,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line l2--I2 in Fig. 10,

6 Claims. (CI. 93 37) Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the set-uppartition,

Fig. 14 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a set-up four cell partition.

The collapsible twenty-four cell container partition shown in thedrawings is preferably made from eight webs of fiberboard, corrugatedboard or other suitable material; namely, two counterpart .webs A andAl, two counterpart webs B and Bl, two counterpart webs C and 0-1 andtwo counterpart webs D and D-l that are drawn from rotatably supportedspaced parallel horizontal supply rolls ll, I2, l3, l4, l5, I6, 11 and18, respectively. After leaving their supply rolls, the webs passthrough suitable tensioning rolls l9 and thence through an apparatuswhich slits said webs lengthwise into strips, spots said strips with asuitable adhesive and superimposes them one on another to form alaminated ribbon which is then cut transversely to form complete flatpartitions.

, The webs increase in width from the web A to the web D and from theweb A--l to the web D-l.

The web A is located at the top and the web A-l is located at thebottom. The web B is located next to the web A and the web B-I islocated next to the web A-I. The web C is located next to the web B andthe Web C-l is located next to the web 3-4. The webs D and DI arelocated next to one another between the webs C and C-l. The webs A andA-l are offset laterally relative to one another for a distancecorresponding to their width. The webs 'B and B1 extend equal distanceson opposite sides of the webs A and A-l, respectively; and the webs Cand CI extend a corresponding distance on opposite sides of the webs Band B-l, respectively. The webs D and D-l are of the same width but areofiset laterally so that each of said webs extends beyond the other onone side and terminates short of the other on the other side and thewebs D and Dl are flush with the webs C and C--l, respectively, on oneside and extend beyond them on the opposite side.

The apparatus for longitudinally slitting and combining the eightsuperimposed webs in the laterally ofiset relation above describedcomprises eight horizontally spaced pairs of horizontal combining orpressure rolls 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 21 and 28, between which the Websare drawn from their supply rolls, eight pairs of horizontally disposedrolls 3|, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 31 and 38 for longitudinally slitting therespective webs into separolls. Each of the glue spotting rolls issupplied with glue through transferrolls 39 oneof which.

dips into a glue fountain or'reservoir ill-and the other of whichapplies the glue to the spotting roll. Each of the glue spotting devicesincludes a pressure roll for holding the web in contact'with thespotting roll.

The top web A is drawn from its supply roll H through its cutting rolls3 I and thence through the pairs of combining rolls Zl to 28, inclusive;

The Web B is drawn from its supply roll I2 through its pair of cuttingrolls 32 and glue spotting iroll 42 and thence through the combiningrolls 22 to 28, inclusive, and spot-glued to the underside of the web A.The web C is drawn from its supply roll l3 through the cutting rolls 33and the glue spotting roll 43 and thence through the combining rolls 23to 28, inclusive, and spot-glued to the underside of the web B. The webD is drawn from its supply roll [4 through the cutting rolls 34, gluespotting roll M and thence through the combining rolls 2G to 28,inclusive, and spot-glued to the underside of the web C. The web Dl isdrawn from its supply roll 15 through the cutting rolls 35, gluespotting roll 45 and thence through'the combining rolls 25 to 28,inclusive, where it is spot-glued to the underside of the web D. The webC--I is drawn from its supply roll it through the cutting rolls 36, gluespotting roll 46 and thence through the combining. rolls 26, 2? and 28where it is spot-glued to the underside of the web Dl. The web Bl isdrawn from its supply roll H through the cutting rolls 3'! and gluespotting roll 47 and thence through the combining rolls'2l and 28 whereit is spot-glued to theunderside of the web Cl. The web Ai is drawn fromits supply roll l8 through the cutting rolls 38' and the glue spottingroll 48 and thence through the pair of combining rolls 28 where itisadhesively secured to the underside of the web B-l. The eight combinedwebs are thence drawn as a laminated cardboard ribbonR through a seriesof pairs of horizontally disposed combining rolls 49 and thence througha pair of horizontally disposed cutting rolls 50 which sever theadvancing ribbon crosswise into finishedflat partition units which aredeposited on a suitable conveyor for transfer to a bundling or packagestation (not shown).

The cutting rolls 3! to 38, inclusive, are equipped with continuouscircumferential cutters 52 that are shaped to form one or morecontinuous-longitudinal zigzag cuts 53 in the respecthe webs, therebydividing all of said webs longitudinally into two counterpart sidestrips and each of the webs B, B-l, C, C l, D andD -l into two or morecounterpart intermediate strips, depending upon the width of said webs.Asshown in the drawings the webs A and Al have single middlelongitudinal zigzag cuts 53 therein which divide the web A into two sidestrips |-A with serrate orsaw-tooth inneredgesand the web A-l into twoside strips I-Al with corresponding ser- B..| have three equally spacedlongitudinal zigzag cuts 53-whichdivideltheweb B into'two side stripsl-Band two-zig ag intermediatestrips 2-B and thenweb B-y-l into twosidestrips ;IJB. and two zigzag intermediate strips 2--B. The webs C andCl have five zigzag cuts 53 which divide the web G into side strips I Cand four intermediate zigzag strips 2-0 and the web Cl into side;,strips .i -C'and fours-intermediate zigzag strips 2-C. The webs D andD-l "have six zigzag cuts 53 which divide the web B into side strips I-Dand five zigzag intermediate strips 2-D and theweb D-l into side strips1-D and five inintermediate zigzag strips 2-D. As stated above,

all of the webs have identical side strips and the zigzagintermediatestrips of the webs B, Bl, C, Cl, D and D-| are all alike butvary in number depending upon the width of the strips and the number ofzigzag cuts therein.

As shown in Fig.3, corresponding zigzag cuts 53 of the eight webs aredisposed one over another, but each zigzag cut of each web is offsetlongitudinally with respect to the corresponding cut in the web or websin contact therewith.

By this arrangement, the saw-tooth margin on each side of each cut ofeach intermediate web is brought into overlapping relation to thesawtooth margin on the opposite side of the corre- 'sponding cut intheweb or webs in contact with the first mentioned web;

As shown in the drawings, the glue rolls 42 to 48, inclusive, areeachprovided with one or more continuous series of raised ,circumferentiallyspaced surfaces 54 that spot or print the glue in longitudinal lines 55on the upper surfaces only of all of the advancing webs, except the webA, along certain of the. longitudinal zigzag cuts 53 therein. As shownin Figs. 1 and 3, the

glue. lines 55. are preferably applied along the single zigzag cut.53 ofthe bottom web A, but not to the top web A,.and along alternate zigzagcuts 53' .of each of theremaining intermediate webs; and the glue linesof each intermediate web are arrangedin alternate relation to the gluelines of the Weber webs incontact therewith. Thus, thesaw-tooth marginon each side of each alternate zigzag cut of each intermediate web isadhesively secured to the overlapping saw-tooth ;margin on the oppositeside of the corresponding cutin the web in contact with one fac of thefirst-mentioned web and is free of the Web in contact with the otherface thereof, while the sawtooth margins produced by the remaining cutsof said first mentioned web are similarly secured to the saw-toothmargins produced by the corresponding cuts in the web in contact withsaid other side of said first, mentioned web.

Afterthe several webs have been slit into separate 'strips and thesestrips combined into the composite ribbon R, .the advancing ribbon issevered crosswise at regular intervals to form the complete fiatpartition'units. Each of these units is'preferably cut so that thesaw-tooth edge or edges of each of the side and intermediate stripsincludes a complete'or full V-shaped tongue or tab 55 at one end thereofand a half .V-shaped tongue or tab 5'! at the otherend thereof with acomplete or .full. V-shaped notch or. reentering angle 58 between saidfull and half-V tongues. The full-V tongues along one of..the meetingedges of adjacent strips .of each Web fit in the notches in the other ofsaid meeting edges; and the full and half-V tongues on each .meetingedgeof adjacent strips of each intermediate web are disposed in rate-or.saw-tooth inner edges. The webs Bland is The tongues of eachintermediate. web are glued cured together.

to the overlapping tongue of an adjacent web or webs in alternaterelation crosswise of the web 7 parallel transverse partition members.The side strips of one of the longitudinal strips l-A and l--C form theend sections of one of the outermost longitudinal partition members andthe intermediate zigzag. strips Z-B, 2-C, 2-D and 2--D' form theintermediate sections of said partition member. The other outermostlongitudinal,

partition is made up of the side strips i-C and I-A and the intermediatezigzag strips 2-D,

2-D, 2-C' and 2B'. The intermediate longitudinal partition member ismade up of the side strips I-B and [-13' and the four zigzagintermediate strips 2-C', 2D, 2D and 2-C'. The outermost transversepartition located nearest the corresponding ends l-A, lB and of thelongitudinal partition member is made up of the side strips lA and IDand the two intermediate zigzag strips '2B and 2-C. The other outermosttransverse partition member is made up of the side strips l-D' and l-A',the two zigzag intermediate strips 2-C and ZB. The middle transversepartition member is made up of the side strips l-C and l-C and the twozigzag intermediate strips 2-D and 2-D. The transverse partition memberbetween the first mentioned outermost transverse partition member andthe middle transverse partition member is made up of the two sidesections l--B and I-D' and the two intermediate zigzag strips 2-0 and2-D; and the remaining transverse partition member is made up of the twoside strips l--D and IB and the two zigzag intermediate strips Thus,each of the longitudinal partition members is made up of two side stripsand-four intermediate zigzag strips; and each of the transversepartitions is made up of two side strips and two intermediate zigzagstrips. The full V-shaped tongues 56 of adjacent strips of eachpartition member are overlapped fiatwise and adhesively secured togetherand the half -V tongues 51 of said adjacent strips are similarlyoverlapped and se- When the connected strips are moved into partitionforming relation, the tongues of each strip of each web vacate or swingout of the notches of an adjacent strip of said web, thereby producingsubstantially diamondshaped horizontal openings 59 through each par-"tition member between the overlapped full and half-V tongues 55 and ofadjacent strips thereof and V-shaped notches 60 in the top and bottomedges of said partition member between the converging outer edges of theoverlapped full-Y tongues of said adjacent sectionsof said partitionmember. The overlapping full-V tongues 56 of each two adjacent strips ofeach partition member extend through the diamond-shaped openings 59formed by the opposing V-notches 60 of the adjacent strips of thepartition member that is disposed at right angles to said firstmentioned partition member; and the overlapped half-V tongues 51 ofadjacent sections of said first mentioned partition member extendthrough the V- shaped notches 60 formed by the inclined outer edges ofthe full-V tongues of said first mentioned partition member. When thepartition is opened or set up with the longitudinal and transversepartitions at right angles to one another, the overlapped full-V andhalf-V tongues of adjacent strips of each partition member bind againstthe sides of the quadrilateral diamondshaped openings. and V-shapednotches through which they extend and thus resist movement of thepartition members beyond a position at right angles to one another. TheV-shaped notches and diamond-shaped openings in the partition membersalso provide for horizontal ventilation through the erected or set-uppartition.

The hereinbefore described collapsible cellular partition has severalimportant advantages. It is simple and inexpensive and may be shippedand stored in completely assembled collapsed compact form and may bereadily erected merely by pulling endwise in opposite directions on thetop and bottom webs or merely by lifting or raising with one hand onestrip of the top web so that the strips fall automatically intocell-forming relation. The overlapped full-V and half-V tongues of eachpartition member extend through the diamond-shaped openings and V-shapednotches of the partition members disposed at right angles thereto; andthe shape of said tongues, openings and notches prevent relativemovement of the intersecting partition in the planes thereof, while theedges of the cooperating tongues and openings or notches bind one onanother and resist movement of the longitudinal and transverse partitionmembers beyond an angle of ninety degrees. The tongue receiving openingsand notches also provide for horizontal ventilation through the set-uppartition. None of the elements that make up the partition is scored orbent to permit unfolding or collapse of the partition. The partition ismade up of a relatively large number of separate strips, but thesestrips are quickly cut, united and severed into individual partitions bya continuous process which is simple and'economical and overcomes anyobjection to the number of separate strips employed in the finishedpartition.

of the twenty-four bottle partition.

While we have shown and described a twentyfour cell partition, thepartition may be made with different numbers of cells. For instance,Fig. 15 illustrates a simple four cell partition made from two webs likethe top and bottom webs A and A-l In this smaller partition, the twoWebs are each provided with a single longitudinal zigzag cut 53, thecuts are longitudinally offset to bring the tongues of one web intooverlapped relation to the tongues of the other web and the overlappedtongues are secured together and the two webs combined into a two plyribbon which is severed transversely to form the collapsed partition.When opened, this partition comprises two right angularly disposedpartition members, each comprising one of the strips of the web A andone of the strips of the web A-l.

, Obviously, the hereinbefore described partition admits of considerablemodification without departing from the invention. Therefore, we do notwish to be limited to the precise construction and process shown anddescribed.

What we claim is:

l. The process of manufacturing collapsed partition units of the kinddescribed which consists in dividing each of two webs by a longitudinalzigzag cut into separate strips having interfitting side of the cut ineach web overlapping the tongues of the strip on the other side of thecut in the other web and with thenotches of each strip on each side ofthe cut in each web opening into the notches of the strip on the otherside of the cut in the other web, permanently securing said overlappingtongues together, and then dividing the consolidated webs crosswise intocomplete collapsed partition units.

2. The process of manufacturing collapsed partition units of the kinddescribed which consists in dividing each of two webs by a longitudinalzigzag cut into separate strips having interfitting alternatingsubstantially V-shaped tongues and notches along their'meeting edges,superimposing said webs fiatwise one on the other with the tongues ofeach strip on each side of the cut in each web overlapping the tonguesof the strip on the other side of the cut in the other web and with thenotches of each strip on each side of the cut in each web opening intothe notches of the strip on the other side of the cut in the other web,permanently securing said overlapping tongues together, and thendividing the combined webs crosswise into complete collapsed partitionunits, each of the four strips of which includes a substantiallycomplete notch and a substantially complete tongue.

3. The continuous process of manufacturing collapsed partition units ofthe kind described which consists in drawing'two webs from separatesupply rolls, dividing each of said webs by a longitudinal'zigzag cutinto separate strips having interiitting alternating tongues and notchesalong their meeting edges applying an adhesive to one face of oneweb'along the tongues of the two strips thereof, running said webstogether into contact iiatwise with the'face of the web having the ad-'hesive thereon in contact with the other web and with the tongues ofeach strip on each side of the cutin each web overlapping the tongues ofthe strip on the other side of the cut in the other web and with thenotches of each strip on each side of the cut in each web opening intothe notches of the strip on the other side of the cut in the other web,and then dividing the adhesively united webs crosswise into completelyassembled collapsed partition units.

along the tongues of the two strips thereof, running said webs togetherinto contact iiatwise with the face of the web having the adhesivethereon in contact with the other web and with the tongues of each stripon each side of the cut in each web overlapping the tongues of the stripl.

on the other side of the cut in the other web and with the "notches ofeach strip on each side of the cut in each web opening into the notchesof the strip on the other side of the out in the -other web,-and thendividing the combined webs crosswise into complete collapsed partitionunits, each of the four strips of which includes a substantiallycomplete notch and a substantially ncomplete tongue.

5. The continuous process of manufacturing collapsed partition units ofthe kind described which. consists in drawing two webs from separatesupplyro'lls, dividing each of said webs by a longitudinal zigzag outinto separate strips having interfitting alternating tongues and notchesalong their meeting edges, applying spots of adhesive to the tongues ofboth strips of one of said webs on one face thereof, running said webstogether into contactflatwise with the face of the web having the spotsof adhesive thereon in contact with the other web and with the tonguesof each strip on each side of the cut in each web overlapping thetongues of the strip on the other side of the cut in the other web andwith the notches of each strip on each side of the cut in each webopening into the notches of the strips on the other side of the cut inthe other web,

"and then dividing the adhesively combined webs crosswise intocompletely assembled collapsed partition units.

6. The continuous process of manufacturing collapsed cellular partitionsof the kind comprising top and bottom webs and at least two intermediatewebs which consists in drawing said webs from separate -supply rolls,dividing each of said top and bottom webs by a longitudinal zigzag cut.into two strips having interfitting alternating tongues and notchesalong their meeting edges, dividing each of said intermediate webs bysimilar longitudinal zigzag cuts into four or more strips havinginterfitting tongues and notches along their meeting edges, applyingadhesive to the upper surface of the bottom web along'the tongues oneach side of the cut therein and to the upper surfaces of theintermediate webs along the tongues on each side of alternate cutstherein, running said webs together in superimposed relation with a cutin each web in vertical alinement with a cut in the web in contacttherewith and with the tongues on each side of the cut in each weboverlapping the tongues of the strips on the other side of the cut inthe web or webs in contact therewith and with the notches of each stripon each side of the cut in each'web opening into the notches of thestrips on the other side of the cut in the web or webs in contacttherewith, and then dividing the ad- "hesively combined webs crosswiseinto complete collapsed-partition units, each strip of which includes asubstantially complete notch and a substantially complete tongue.

WALTER, C. GEORGE. ARTHUR .P. KLASING.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,023,989 Brown Apr. 23, 19121,097,840 Bodge May 26, 1914 Certificate of Correction January 10, 1950Patent No. 2,494,437

WALTER o. GEORGE ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

B read web D;

Column 4, line 7, for web should be read with this correction ther andthat the said Letters Patent 111 to the record of the case in the PatentOfiice.

y of May, A. D. 1950.

sin that the same may conior Signed and sealed this 16th de THOMAS F.MURPHY,

Assistant Oommissiomr of Patents.

